FLU SEASON: Vaccine is in the Islands, Time to Get a Shot!

Students are encouraged to come to the University Health Services Mānoa to get a flu vaccination to protect yourself, your friends and family. Flu shots are available by appointment at the University Health Services Mānoa at 1710 East West Road. The vaccines are also available at pharmacies in Hawai`i.

Appointments are available from 8:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. on September 16th, 18th, 19th, 23rd, 25th and 26th.

Please call 956-6221 to schedule your appointment. For the John A. Burns School of Medicine, (JABSOM) the Homeless Outreach & Medical Education project typically makes shots available in Kaka`ako. Our photo is from such a clinic in 2012. When we hear from them as to when this yearʻs dates might be, we will update this story.

So what is the shot like this year? Tina Shelton, Communications Director at JABSOM, had her shot on August 31 at a local Longʻs Drug Store. (Health plans including HMSA make the shot available for free there.) “My arm was a little bit sore the next day where the shot was inserted, but it was nothing ʻAleveʻ couldnʻt handle. And, no, I didnʻt get a cold or flu afterward,” she added, dismissing a common myth.

The UH Health Services at Mānoa accepts payment from participating health insurance companies. If your insurance does not cover flu shots, or you do not have insurance, the charge will be $40 for UH Faculty and Staff.

UH Health Services is administering the quadrivalent flu vaccine which is designed to protect against four different flu viruses; two influenza A viruses and two influenza B viruses. For years, flu vaccines have been trivalent, or designed to protect against three different flu viruses—two A viruses and one B virus. Experts have had to choose between two very different B viruses for that year’s flu vaccine, even though both B viruses spread in most seasons. This meant the vaccine did not help to protect against the second group of B viruses that were not included in the vaccine. By adding another B virus to the vaccine, quadrivalent vaccines may give broader protection.

UH Health Services looks forward to serving you, and hopes you will have a happy and healthy Fall Semester.